AbdolHossein Teimurtash

Vida Moezzinia

 

Son of Karimdad Khan Amir Monzam, AbdolHossein Teimurtash, entitled Moazzazolmolk, and Sardar Moazzam Khorassani, was born about 1881 in Bojnurd. Following his primary education and learning horse riding and shooting, he left for Ashkabad to acquire Russian and then went to St. Petersburg with his father to attend the cadet school of St. Petersburg which was for the courtiers and the aristocrats. Having graduated, he returned to Iran to get a job in the ministry of foreign affairs as a translator. Following the coronation of Mohammad Ali Shah, he was a member of board to announce the new throne to European countries. On his return from Europe he retired himself from the ministry of foreign affairs and was appointed a deputy governor of Jovin region by his father.

 

 He was the youngest member of the second Majlis from Khorassan and after the closure of the Majlis he became the commandant of Khorassan forces.  Again he became a deputy of the third Majlis from Quchan. He was appointed governor of Gilan by Vossuqoddowleh in 1919. His period of holding the office was simultaneous with Mirza Kuchak Khan’s rising in that province. He had mission to suppress the movement. Historians call the period of Teimurtash’s governorship as that of terror, murder, and debauchery.

 

It has been proved that he had a hand in the execution of Dr. Heshmat, Mirza Kuchak’s royal comrade. Subsequent to Dr. Heshmat’s execution, he issued a proclamation and threatened the people of Gilan that any help to Jangalis will be replied by execution and the confiscation of the properties.

 

A short while before the 1920 coup he was recalled to Tehran and was arrested by Seyyed Ziaaddin Tabatabai and spent some period in the prison. In Moshiroddowleh’s cabinet the ministry of justice was given to him. The next year he was the governor of Kerman and Baluchestan. He was elected a deputy to Majlis from Neishabur but his credentials were opposed by the deputy of Rasht due to his misdeeds in that city. In Reza Khan’s cabinet he was appointed as the minister of public welfare and trade. Then he concentrated his efforts to change the dynasty and played a great rule in Reza shah coming to the throne. As a reward for his services the next year he became the minister of court.

 

The early years of Reza Shah’s reign brought him vast political power and he was the first man after Reza Shah. But this state of affairs did not last long. He incurred the Shah’s displeasure and was brought on the verge of fall. He was dismissed in 1932 and was condemned for taking bribes, and embezzlement; he was imprisoned and eventually was murdered in the Qasr prison, Oct. 1^st, 1932.

 

He was power hungry, ambitious, indefatigable, active, shrewd and unscrupulous. He spoke Russian, French, and English. He married two times and three daughters and three sons.